5 Of The Best Cities To Visit In South America﻿

South America is a place of discovery. There aren’t many other places in the world that embrace so many different landscapes and cultures as this place does.

If you’re planning a trip to South America, you’ll probably be focussed on the beaches, the salt lands, and the rainforests, but you also need to know which cities are worth your time, and here’s where I come in.

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is exciting and energetic, with a hint of sexiness. You’ve heard of the Tango? Well, this is where it originated. The food scene in Buenos Aires is something else – Think wine, steaks and lots of them, and you’re well on the way. There’s also plenty of history and culture to embrace – Head to one of the local museums or just explore the colourful streets at our own leisure. Who knows what you’ll find!

Lima

Fun fact: Despite sitting on the coast of Peru, Lima is the second-driest capital city in the world after Cairo. Think half California and half Latina combined, and you’ll see why so many flocks to Lima each year, it’s a wonderful place. Laden with museums and art galleries, it’s cleared up past negative reputations by accelerating its food scene from 0-100 and is now home to some of the best restaurants in the country. Check out one of the food tours whilst you’re there, many of which take you to the city’s famous markets – yum!

La Paz

Bolivia’s capital is made for the more adventurous amongst us. Sitting at 10,000 ft, there’s no denying you might get a little bit of altitude sickness here. However, the locals will be more than happy to serve you up some of their famous Coca Leaf Tea to help with this. A charming city to explore, with the snow-capped Mount. Illimani as a backdrop, there’s plenty of art, history and street food experiences to take your pick from.

Santiago

This lively, cosmopolitan city is sophisticated, classy, and knows how to throw an amazing party. Head here if you want the full nightlife experience but still want to be able to get up to explore come morning. Santiago is surrounded by the Andes and has some amazing wine regions in close proximity. If you head north, you’ll reach Elqui Valley, which is a stunning spot for wine-lovers and star-gazers alike (great combo). Here, you can also get amazing views of the upcoming total solar eclipse, set to take place on 2nd July 2019.

Rio de Janeiro

Saving the best until last – You can’t go all the way to south America without hitting up Rio, now can you. Rio is made for those who fear boredom, as there’s so much to see and do in this coastal city. Hit the beach by day, check out the extensive restaurant scene at night, and when you’re feeling energetic, head up Sugarloaf Mountain in one of the famous cablecars to see Christ the Redeemer himself.